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Brasa in Berkeley is closing after about 16 months of business, reports Berkeleyside. Owners Veronica and Christopher Laramie originally opened the “neo-artisanal” eVe in late 2009; two years later, they flipped the University Avenue space into Brasa, a more casual, Peruvian-inspired chicken specialist. In late July, Brasa will close, to be taken over by nearby Brazil Cafe.

The Chronicle’s Nicholas Boer described the Brasa birds as “piping hot, succulent and sheathed in brittle skin” and according to Christopher Laramie, the business was successful, allowing them to start a family. And as Laramie explains to Scoop, that’s a big reason for the couple’s decision: They had their first child about a month ago.

Diners enjoy lunch on the patio at Brasa restaurant in Berkeley, Calif. on Saturday, January 26th, 2013.

“Brazil Cafe had been interested in the space since October or so,” Laramie says, explaining how Brazil Cafe was getting kicked out of their Shattuck location, because the building is getting demolished.

Once the Laramies’ child arrived, they decided to circle back with Brazil Cafe to see if the offer still stood. It did, and they made a deal.

“It seems like a good time to concentrate on family, and start with a clean slate,” says Laramie. “It’s a happy ending. It was a really great reason for us to let the spot go, and they’re in love with the patio.”

Brasa will continue per normal until the closing day, likely sometime near the end of July; tune into their Facebook page for updates in the coming weeks.

Looking ahead, Laramie says they’ll take a well-deserved break, and explore new options, perhaps in the North Bay or Wine Country.

“We’ll do something else, probably much more in the style of eVe,” he says.

“We realized that while Brasa did really well — it’s what allowed us to have a family because Veronica could leave the kitchen, and it financially made it possible – the style of eVe is where our heart is,” he says. “We miss that creativity, playing with the seasons, interesting produce you only see in California.”